Joe Beimel in Cubby Blue???? Your Thoughts?

by Jblatt on Feb 12, 2009 1:40 AM CST Comment 39 comments

I really like what I see in the Cubs 09 roster to date, its got depth and quality. However, I know there are many out there who would still like to see another solid lefty-reliever in the pen. Nothing against Neal Cotts, but he seems to hit a wall every once in a while (sometimes a lil too often) but adding a guy like Beimel, the top lefty reliever in free agency all offseason, would be huge. The guy had an impressive 2.02 ERA and has been solid for the past 4 seasons. He should not be TOO expensive and I just really feel like he is the kinda under-the-radar pickup that puts great teams over the top.

Just seeing what everybody else thinks?? I have heard lots of blogging about him but have heard no rumors of actual interest on the part of the Cubs. Is there a reason the Cubs would not look at him and how much you think he will be offered in the end?

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Al Yellon, managing editor (unless it's a FanPost posted by Al). FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.

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I wouldn't mind adding another lefty

Although I am not expecting it. The Cubs did add three lefties … but Bill White, Matt Smith, and Jason Waddell aren’t proven.

I’m guessing that the remaining lefties might get either a 1 or 2 year deal (perhaps their choice), say, 2-3 million on the AAV perhaps, and maybe some incentives.

It would never happen, but I really wouldn’t mind seeing Will Ohman back. That said, I expect to go into the year with Cotts, and with those above three lefties, along with Lambert/Papelbon perhaps getting a shot at coming up during the year.

I know this – I feel like Cotts is a lefty for a lefty’s sake. I’d rather take the best arm available (Stevens has enough ability to neutralize lefties somewhat) than to go with Cotts.

by toonsterwu on Feb 12, 2009 4:06 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

OK....

The youngsters aren’t proven, very true.

Ohman? You just want to see Lou blow a head gasket…come on, admit it. :^)

Cotts is just OK and Stevens may make the club. I’m OK with Beimel and believe Hendry is considering him if the price drops. Would he cost the Cubs any draft picks for signing, like Juan Cruz would?

Sweet Lou for Mayor in '11.

by blackhawk24 on Feb 12, 2009 6:21 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Stevens is a righty

Isn’t one of the older Japanese guys on a non-roster invite a lefty?

Fontenot (fon-te-no): Cajun for "scrappy"

by zambranofan on Feb 12, 2009 7:17 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Ken Kadokura is a righty

he’ll be wearing #88 in spring training.

I love to play baseball. I'm a baseball player. I've always been a baseball player. I'm still a baseball player. That's who I am. - Ryne Sandberg

by Trey2317 on Feb 12, 2009 9:12 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

The reason I want Ohman

would be because he dominates against lefties. That said, yes, Lou would never welcome him back. A shame, as Ohman’s one of the better LOOGY’s in the game (and last year, he was decent against righties).

On a side note, White/Smith/Waddell aren’t exactly youngsters.

I don’t believe the Dodgers offered to Beimel, so no, I don’t think he would cost a draft pick.

by toonsterwu on Feb 12, 2009 1:09 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I thought the players made it pretty clear

what their opinion of Will Ohman is when they sided with Mark O’Neal when Ohman tried to throw O’Neal under the bus.

Hey, it's a new century!

by cowsarecool220 on Feb 12, 2009 4:46 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Agreed.

Jim Hendry is a player’s GM, but there’s no way he ever signs Ohman again. Ever.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on Feb 12, 2009 5:12 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Agreed on Cotts

I don’t think he’s terrible, but Beimel would probably be an upgrade. One caveat, though, is in looking at Beimel’s whip, he may have been doing it with mirrors to an extent last year.

"Enough foreplay- let's get crackin'"- Fred Garvin

by davidalanu on Feb 12, 2009 6:25 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

At first I really wanted Beimel as well, but then I noticed

he wasn’t exactly lights out against lefties. They still hit pretty well off of him – somewhere in the .280 range I think. The player to keep an eye on in camp is Mike Stanton. If he’s healthy again he could be the lefty to emerge, even though he’s 41 I think.

by thehat34 on Feb 12, 2009 8:01 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

I don't see Hendry spending anymore dough on pitching

Lefties Sean Marshall and Neal Cotts will operate out of the pen. While it would be nice to have Joe Beimel, he isn’t a consideration.

Pen will be…Marmol, Gregg, Vizcaino, Gaudin, Cotts, Marshall and probably Guzman.

by BLou on Feb 12, 2009 8:11 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

I really hope Vizcaino is traded..

#34: You'll be missed!

by Chanman25 on Feb 12, 2009 8:41 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

He's immovable at nearly $4 million owed in 2009

by BLou on Feb 12, 2009 8:57 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm sure somebody would take him

#34: You'll be missed!

by Chanman25 on Feb 12, 2009 8:58 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I agree.

$4m for someone like Vizcaino isn’t that much. I think he could be moved.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on Feb 12, 2009 9:06 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

He's not immovable...

First, he’s owed $3.5 million. That’s not that much to a team in need of a bullpen arm. Second, we’d likely take on some of that salary, so the $3.5 million part is irrelevant.

Let’s say we pay $2 million of the salary. Then, you’re effectively trading a $1.5 million reliever. That’s basically what we just did with Michael Wuertz, and Vizcaino isn’t much different than Wuertz.

Vizcaino is certainly movable. I’m not saying I think it will happen (Hendry and Piniella do like to have a stockpile of experienced relievers), but he is movable.

by SouthernCub on Feb 12, 2009 10:40 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs

And if he's not movable now...

… he might be at midseason, when half the salary is already paid.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on Feb 12, 2009 10:49 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Perhaps to clear room for Samardzija's return...

for the stretch run?

by SouthernCub on Feb 12, 2009 10:52 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Very possible.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on Feb 12, 2009 10:52 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Hendry isn't going to keep eating salary

Vizcaino is a proven bullpen arm that WILL make this roster. Samardizja has options and can be sent down to Triple A for more development and to work on an additional pitch.

by BLou on Feb 12, 2009 11:38 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

And that's a much different argument...

I don’t disagree that Vizcaino will likely make the roster. I don’t necessarily agree that he’s a proven arm, given how bad he stunk last year. I think he’s basically as proven as Wuertz. But that’s neither here nor there.

If you want to say that Vizcaino will be on the team, that’s one thing. But suggest that he is immovable is incorrect. Hendry may very well choose not to move him. But that’s not the same thing.

by SouthernCub on Feb 12, 2009 12:30 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I would also like to point out

that making the opening day roster and staying on the roster for the entire season are totally different matters.

I expect Vicaino to make the opening day roster but wouldn’t be surprised to see him traded or released at some point in the season.

The best case scenario is for the Cubs to be overload with effective relievers and have the luxury of trading Vizcaino during the season for another useful part (or a prospect).

Hey, it's a new century!

by cowsarecool220 on Feb 12, 2009 4:49 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

and our number 5?

heilman or samardzija?

by nathew on Feb 12, 2009 11:30 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Samardzija will likely start the season in Triple A.

I’ve been banking on Heilman getting the fifth spot – I think he and Hendry made a gentleman’s agreement when he was signed. Bruce Miles, however, is saying the fifth spot is Marshall’s to lose. So now I’m wondering whether Lou really wants two lefties in the starting rotation. After all, we all know how he is about lefties…

Happy PCR Day, everyone!

by dat cubfan daver on Feb 13, 2009 9:46 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Nitpick.

Heilman was acquired by trade, not signed.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on Feb 13, 2009 10:51 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I think it will be a full competition

and I also think that all three – JS, SM, and AH will get a half dozen starts each this year. We shouldn’t count on any of them to go 160 innings, let alone 200, so we’re in good shape.

The author of this post is not a certified scout, doctor, agent, statistician, manager, or journalist, nor was he ever a very good player, though he tried very hard to be like Ryne Sandberg and was about as scrappy as it gets (in T-ball). Any opinion expressed above should in no way be confused with fact, truth, or reality and is hereby qualified in the following ways: 1) The author does not know as much about baseball as Lou Piniella. 2) The author does not know as much about baseball as Jim Hendry. 3) The author does not know as much about baseball as either Dusty or Darren Baker.

by DGU on Feb 13, 2009 12:15 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

According to Ken Rosenthal...

… Beimel may re-sign with the Dodgers.

In any case, I agree with the above. I think Hendry is done with the free-agent market.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on Feb 12, 2009 8:46 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

I agree...

The bullpen picture is already overcrowded, and we have spent a lot already. I don’t think Beimel (or any other name reliever) is in the works.

by SouthernCub on Feb 12, 2009 10:41 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

So... the Dodgers will have a lefty to use against Bradley next October.

I'm not going to even bother trying to update this sig everyday anymore... that's what the standings column on ESPN is for.
Updated on May 25, 2008

by SackMan on Feb 13, 2009 3:08 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Eh... nevermind.

Bradley switch hits… so the Dodgers still won’t have a reason to use a lefty against us. LOL.

I'm not going to even bother trying to update this sig everyday anymore... that's what the standings column on ESPN is for.
Updated on May 25, 2008

by SackMan on Feb 13, 2009 3:11 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

They're looking at Marshall...

…As the second lefty right now.

Personally, I see Marshall as a starter.

Adding Beimel would be a great move for the Cubs as he would prpvbably become the #1 lefty, taking the pressure off Cotts.

by Snake Plisskin on Feb 12, 2009 9:05 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Internal Options

Here are Lefties in Cubs camp on the non-roster invitee list: Edward Capusano, J.R. Mathes, Matt Smith, Mike Stanton, Jason Waddell, Bill White.

So there will be some competition, but I think Marshall is being groomed as the second lefty. If Cotts has an awful spring, any of the non-roster guys will have a shot.

I love to play baseball. I'm a baseball player. I've always been a baseball player. I'm still a baseball player. That's who I am. - Ryne Sandberg

by Trey2317 on Feb 12, 2009 9:14 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Cotts

I’ll take this moment to again jump on Cotts. He is not good. His BAA is bad, he gives up a lot of hrs, and he’s not particularly good against lefties. He had one excellent year, 2005. Cotts is not good.

The problem becomes the fact that Marshall will not be used as as LOOGY. I’d love to see someone else signed, but I don’t see it happening.

by dmlichte on Feb 12, 2009 10:30 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

I guess it depends on how you define "good."

I’m not a huge Cotts fan, but I don’t think he had a horrible 2008. His BAA was .266 – coulda been better, but I wouldn’t call that “bad.” He also struck out 43 batters in 35.2 innings for a 43:13 (3.31) K:BB ratio. That’s pretty damn good.

And, yeah, his career splits against lefties really aren’t all that different from his splits against righties,but he’s really not a LOOGY to begin with and, IIRC, Lou doesn’t really use him that way anyway.

When all’s said and done, I think the Cubs could do far worse than hang on to Neal. Given that he’ll be a year older and, one hopes, a little more mature, he could give them another decent year. (Oh, and I agree that Hendry probably isn’t seriously considering adding another lefty to the pen anyway.)

We are a fever ... we are a fever ... we ain't born typical.

by dat cubfan daver on Feb 12, 2009 11:38 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Washington Post breakdown of the top lefty pen arms left

Ohman and NL Central teams? I’d guess Cincinnati and Dusty. Of course, Phillies and Mets could surprise in the end.

by toonsterwu on Feb 12, 2009 1:19 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

nvm

Cincy has Bray and Rhodes … I’d be a tad surprised if they added another lefty. Milwaukee and St. Louis make some sense, along with Houston if they have money left (assuming it’s not us, which I don’t suspect).

Of course, it was just author spec.

by toonsterwu on Feb 12, 2009 1:22 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Personally, I see the Brewers as the best fit for Beimel.

Hey, it's a new century!

by cowsarecool220 on Feb 12, 2009 4:51 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

half season contracts

I wonder if some of these guys would be smarter waiting on signing with teams until mid-season. The market isn’t going to pay these players what they want… so lets say that someone like Joe Beimel or Juan Cruz just holds out. Maybe they stay in playing shape or even sign a three month contract with an indy league team. Come July there are going to be teams in the penant race looking to strengthen themselves for the playoff run. Often this involves trade deadline deals where they have to deal a good prospect or two for a quality reliever.

So would a team, say even the Cubs, rather pay more money for a reliever in July instead of having to send a quality prospect in exchange?

by dmlichte on Feb 12, 2009 10:00 PM CST reply actions 1 recs